Stripping machine

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a machine for separating cards from the scrap of paperboard sheets from which they have been die cut except for small integral connecting tangs. The cards may include one or more interior cutouts for hanging the merchandise holding cards on display racks. The machine of the invention includes a base having one side higher than its opposite side and spaced chain driven parallel transverse feed shafts journalled in bearings mounted on the opposite sides. The feed shafts rotate in a single direction toward two pairs of shafts mounted on the end of the frame. The first pair of shafts has vertically disposed opposing rotating surfaces which engage the scrap areas of the sheets to drive the sheets forward against a card and scrap separating tool which supports and holds the card rigid in the region of separation the rest of the way. The second pair of vertically disposed opposing rotating surfaces receives the card only on one of the tool sides and propels them forward to a bin into which they are stacked for ultimate removal from the machine. As the cards pass through the two pairs of vertically disposed rotating surfaces, a downwardly biased sprigg member is dragged over them to separate any internal cutouts from the card. The rotating surfaces of the first, or scrap engaging, pair of vertically disposed shafts rotates at a speed slower than the rotating surfaces of the card engaging pair such that the integral tangs connecting the two are severed near their region of support by the tools by a twisting transverse force, and the scrap from the sheet falls down to a collection area below the separating knife. To avoid bending of the cards, the cards travel in a substantially straight line from the time they leave the feed rolls. The feed rolls have floating spheres which act as hold-down means to provide more positive forward drive to the cut sheets as they enter the first pair of vertically disposed rotating surfaces. The apparatus is designed to be automatically fed by means of a belt-type transfer conveyor which receives the die cut paperboard sheets from the die cutting machine. The entire system may be automated by conventional elevator and feeder means for providing printed paperboard to the cutter die. In the alternative, the separator machine may be hand fed. The tools, rotating surfaces and spring members may be adjusted for different shapes, numbers and dimensions of card, scrap and interior cutouts.

United States Patent Mueller, Jr.

[4 1 June 20, 1972 [54] STRIPPING MACHINE 22 Filed: Dec.5,1969

211 Appl.No.: 882,680

[72] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl ..225/99, 225/100 [51] Int. Cl. ..B26f 3/02 [58] Field ofSearch ..225/99, 100, 94, 96; 93/36, 93/58 R, 58 ST [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,508,083 5/ 1950 Winkler ..225/99 X2,655,842 10/1953 Baumgartner "225/96 2,693,742 1 l/ 1954 Hartman..225/99 3,353,458 11/1967 Johnson ...225/l00 X 3,446,408 5/1969Lagermasini et a] ..225/99 Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost AttorneyFay,Sharpe and Mulholland [57] ABSTRACT The machine of the inventionincludes a base having one side higher than its opposite side and spacedchain driven parallel transverse feed shafts joumalled in bearingsmounted on the 3 4 5 ELEVATOR DIE CUT FEEDER CYLINDER TRANSFER CONVEYORopposite sides. The feed shafts rotate in a single direction toward twopairs of shafts mounted on the end of the frame. The first pair ofshafts has vertically disposed opposing rotating surfaces which engagethe scrap areas of the sheets to drive the sheets forward against a cardand scrap separating tool which supports and holds the card rigid in theregion of separation the rest of the way. The second pair of verticallydisposed opposing rotating surfaces receives the card only on one of thetool sides and propels them forward to a bin into which they are stackedfor ultimate removal from the machine. As the cards pass through the twopairs of vertically disposed rotating surfaces, a downwardly biasedsprigg member is dragged over them to separate any internal cutouts fromthe card. The rotating surfaces of the first, or scrap engaging, pair ofvertically disposed shafts rotates at a speed slower than the rotatingsurfaces of the card engaging pair such that the integral tangsconnecting the two are severed near their region of support by the toolsby a twisting transverse force, and the scrap from the sheet falls downto a collection area below the separating knife. To avoid bending of thecards, the cards travel in a substantially straight line from the timethey leave the feed rolls. The feed rolls have floating spheres whichact as hold-down means to provide more positive forward drive to the cutsheets as they enter the first pair of vertically disposed rotatingsurfaces. The apparatus is designed to be automatically fed by means ofa belt-type transfer conveyor which receives the die cut paperboardsheets from the die cutting machine. The entire system may be automatedby conventional elevator and feeder means for providing printedpaperboard to the cutter die. In the alternative, the separator machinemay be hand fed. The tools, rotating surfaces and spring members may beadjusted for difi'erent shapes, numbers and dimensions of card, scrapand interior cutouts.

12 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 3 6 SEPARTOR 27 PATENTEIJJum 12. 2 sum 10?4 3 570 939 [IE1 DE [3 [1E] [1D EIIEJE] FEEDER CYLINDER TRANSFERCONVEYOR DIE CUT ELEVATOR 6 SEPARTOR 27 FIG.2

P'ATENlEuJuueo m2 SHEET 2 OF 4 FIG. 6

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a machine forseparating packaging cards from the scrap of die cut paperboard sheets.In producing cards for packaging purposes, paperboard blank sheets arefirst printed and then transported to an elevator and moved by elevatorinto a feeder and then into a die cutting machine. From the die cuttingmachine, they are transferred by means of a powered belt conveyor awayfrom the machine and to a storage or separating station.

The separating operation of the prior art has been most widely performedby mechanically forcing the scrap from its position in the plane of thesheet. The problem with this operation is that it requires handling ofthe scrap and the cards manually with a subsequent operation to pop outany interior cutouts from the card. The interior cutout removal hasgenerally been done by taking a small stack of cards and placing it in ajig with a projection which is forced through the precut area to removethe scrap. With the advent of massproduced packaging cards for widedistribution of consumer goods, a more rapid and economical manner ofseparating the cards from the sheet scrap and cutouts has beendesirable.

Various stripping machines also have been developed, but they have notbeen effective or economical because of their propensity to jam when, onoccasion, the integral tangs holding the partially severed cards and theblanks together did not fully tear and the cards flexed so as to notfollow the correct path through the machine.

The present invention is the result of an analysis of the most efiicientmanual manner of tearing a supported card from the scrap of thepaperboard blank surrounding it and reproducing this action mechanicallysuch that the machine may be fed automatically to positively separatethe cards from the scrap quickly and accurately. In this regard, it isnoted that manually, to separate a card from a blank in the mostefficient manner, the card and the scrap are initially separated at oneend from each other and then progressively separated along the length ofthe card. While this progressive separating occurs, one hand and thecard are moved away from the other hand holding the scrap with anacceleration which creates an ultimate velocity different from thatwhich the scrap is moving. Thus, a relative speed between the card andblank, together with the peeling, or progressive separation, creates atwisting transverse force on the integral tangs joining them in a mannerthat makes complete separation possible. By providing a tool which holdsthe card rigid during this separation applicant has provided a machinewhich will'operate rapidly and rarely if ever jam.

The machine of the present device has been carefully designed andconstructed utilizing these efiicient principles so that the speeddifferential is created as the progressive separating to opposite sidesof a knife edge occurs. The speed differential is likened to therelative movement between the hands during the manual separating, andthe efficient twisting transverse force on the integral tangs isduplicated thereby.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The novel machine of this inventionrelates to separating cards from the scrap of paperboard sheets fromwhich they have been die cut except for small integral connecting tangs.The cards are of the type utilized for blister packaging of consumergoods, and they include one or more interior cutouts for hanging themerchandise holding cards on display racks.

The machine of the invention includes a base having one side higher thanits opposite side and spaced chain driven parallel transverse feedshafts journalled in bearings mounted on opposite sides. The feed shaftsrotate in a single direction toward two pairs of shafts mounted on theend of the frame. The first pair of shafts has vertically disposedopposing rotating surfaces which engage the scrap areas of the sheets todrive the sheets forward against a card supporting and scrap separatingtool. The second pair of vertically disposed opposing rotating surfacesreceives the cards on one of the tool sides and propels them forward toa bin into which they are stacked for ultimate removal from the machine.

As the cards pass through the two pairs of vertically disposed rotatingsurfaces, a downwardly biased spring member is dragged over them toseparate any internal cutouts from the card. The rotating surfaces ofthe first, or scrap engaging, pair of vertically disposed shafts rotatesat a speed slower than the rotating surfaces of the card engaging pairsuch that the integral tangs connecting the two are severed by atwisting transverse force, and the scrap from the sheet falls down to acollection area below the separating tool. To avoid bending of thecards, the cards travel in a substantially straight line from the timethey leave the feed rolls, and as will be seen they are rigidlysupported by the tool as the separation occurs. The feed rolls havefloating spheres which act as hold-down means to provide more positiveforward drive to the cut sheets as they enter the first pair ofvertically disposed rotating surfaces. The apparatus is designed to beautomatically fed by means of a belt-type transfer conveyor whichreceives the die cut paperboard sheets from a die cutting machine. Theentire system may be automated by conventional elevator and feeder meansfor providing printed paperboard to the cutter die, In the alternative,the separator machine may be hand fed. The tools, rotating surfaces andspring members may be adjusted for different shapes, numbers anddimensions of card, scrap and interior cutouts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of theinvention can be had from the following drawings and specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a typical blister packaging cardproduction line which includes, in series, an elevator for raisingprinted cards to a feeder, which feeds the paperboard sheets to a diecutting cylinder, from which a transfer conveyor moves them to the feedshafts of a separator which separates the cards from the scrap.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a paperboard sheetwhich has been printed and die cut.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a card which has been separated from thescrap of a paperboard sheet, the card being die cut for later divisioninto two separate blister packaging cards.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the card and scrap separator of theinvention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken along line 5-5 ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional elevational view taken along theline 77 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a partial plan view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a detailed fragmentary view of the cutout and the operation ofthe cutout removing device of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective partial view of the machine in operationseparating a card and scrap.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, the numeral 1 generally designatesthe blister card producing line which includes, in series, an elevator2, a feeder 3, a die cutter 4, a belt-type transfer conveyor 5 and aseparator 6, or a machine for separating cards from the scrap ofpaperboard sheets from which they have been die cut.

The conveyor 5 and the separator 6 have die cut paperboard sheets 10mounted thereon, and the end of the separator 6 includes bins l l inwhich stacks of the punched out cards 15 await removal. The paperboardsheets 10, before being placed on the elevator 2, are printed withappropriate incidia 16 for product labelling and advertising as seen,for instance, in FIG. 2. The card 15 will ultimately become two cards;but,

for purposes of description of the card producing line and separator ofthis invention, it will be called a single card. The reason for this isthat, when the card is ready to be loaded with a product for blisterpackaging, each of its halves 15a and 15b will become an individualcard. The particular arrangement of the card, however, is a matter ofdesign and may vary depending upon the product to be packaged as will bereadily understood.

Surrounding the outline of the cards 15 after they have been die cut inthe paperboard sheets 10, there is a marginal scrap portion 18 whichretains the cards in place in the plane of the sheet by means ofintegral connecting tangs 22. Interior cutouts 20 for placing the cardson a display rack or for other purposes are also provided in the cards15.

The illustrated embodiment of the machine 6 for separating the cards 15from the scrap 18 of paperboard sheets 10 from which they have been diecut except for small integral connecting tangs 22 includes a base madeup of two longitudinally extending side members 23 and 24, respectively.The side members 23 and 24 are T-shaped members made up from two angledmembers welded with a leg of each in face-to-face engagement. The sidemembers 23 and 24 are supported by appropriate legs 25 and 26 on one endand their counterparts on the opposite end, the leg 26 and itscounterpart beingshorter than the leg 25 and its counterpart such thatthe side member 24 is located below side member 23. End members 27, ofconstruction similar to the side members 23 and 24, complete therectangular base of the machine 6.

Mounted along each of the side members 23 and 24 of the base are aseries of pillow blocks 28 which are in offset pairs with one of thepair mounted on side member 23 being angularly oriented with respect toits mate on side member 24. Spherical bushings 29 are provided such thatskewed shafts 30 may be rotationally journalled in the pillow blocks 28at an end of each of the shafts 30 adjacent side member 24. The pillowblocks 28 on the side member 23 support the shaft 30 at a locationspaced inwardly from the end adjacent thereto. The projecting portion 31of the shafts 30 have received thereon drive sprockets 32 which arepositively driven by chains 33.

An appropriate prime mover 34 drives the chains 33 to provide uniformspeed and direction of rotation for each of the shafts 30. A chain guardhousing structure 35 surrounds the chains 33 and provides a buildingsurface 36 for receiving the sheets 10 from the conveyor 5 to the topsurface of the feed shafts 30. i

The sheets 10 are held firmly in contact with thefeed shafts 30 by meansof a hold-down device generally designated by the numeral 40. Thehold-down device 40 includes a heavy sphere 42 which floats within anopening43 in a horizontal leg of an angular member 44. The angularmember 44 is supported by the upstanding leg of an angular member 45which spans the length of the base between the end members 27. Suitableholes 46 are provided along the length of the joined legs 44 and 45 toprovide clearance for passage of the shafts 30. The sphere 42is'retained within the opening 43 by means of an elongated wooden member47 which, together with the angular member 44, creates a cavity ofsufficient depth to accommodate vertical movement of the sphere 42 asthe individual sheets 10 are positioned against the angular member 44under the sphere. A tapered camming surface 48 is provided on the outercomer of the member 47 to cam the sheets 10 downwardly adjacent thespheres 42 as they move from the guiding surface 36 to the feed rollers30.

From the feed rollers 30, the sheets 10 progress between a pair ofshafts in vertical alignment on either side of the path of the sheets.The lower shaft 50 is a driven shaft with a knurled surface. The uppershaft 52 has rotating slotted rubber disks 54 mounted at spacedintervals thereon. The disks 54 are affixed to the shaft 52 for rotationtherewith. The shaft 52 is an idler shutt which provides the reactionforce to create positive pressure between the knurled surface of theshaft 54 and the marginal scrap portion 18 of the sheet 10.

At the same time, the scrap portion 18 is directed downwardly andengages the underside of the tool 58 to insure that the card portion 15of the sheet 10 engages the upper surface of the tool 58. Guide andsupport means 59 direct the card portion 15 along a straightforward pathto the top side of the tool 58 until it is engaged by a second pair ofvertically oriented shafts, the lower shaft 60 being a driven shaftwhich is provided with a reaction force by means of rubber disks 61 onthe upper shaft 62. The disks 61 are spaced between the disks 54 of theshaft 52 such that they will engage the cards 15 as they are fedtherebetween. The shaft 62 and the rotating surfaces of the disk 61provide the positive reaction force to insure forward motion of the cardpinched therebetween in the same manner that the shaft 52 and itsrollers 54 serve the knurled shaft 50. v

The relative sprocket sizes for the shafts 50 and 60, as seen in FIG. 7,are such that the shafts 60 and 62 with asmaller drive sprocket 32arotate faster than the shafts 50 and 52 with their larger drive sprocket32b. This speed difi'erential creates a twisting transverse force whichseparates the cards 15 from the scrap 18 as the tangs 22 are turned.

The knives 58 are mounted on knife support plates 65 which hang from athreaded shaft 66. The knives are positioned by adjusting the relativeposition of wing nuts 67 on the shaft 66. In like manner, the rubberdisks 54 and 61 may be moved on their respective shafts to adjust fordifferent widths and numbers of cards.

The two pairs of shafts described extend parallel to the path of travelof the sheet 10 with'drive shafts 50 and 60 of each of the pairs beingsupported in pillow blocks mounted on the side members 23 and 24 insimilar manner to the mounting of shafts 30. Appropriate upstandingbrackets 68 at either end of the idler shafts 52 and 62 have journals toreceive and support the shafts in proper relation to their respectiveshafts 50 and 60. The threaded shaft 66 is also supported by theupstanding brackets 68. As will be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the toolsupport plates 65 are held in parallel alignment at their lower ends bya rod 69 which extends between them.

Downwardly biased fingers 70 are mounted on the shaft 69 by means of aclamping block 71 which may be tightened or loosened relative to theshaft 69 by means of a thumb screw 72. The downwardly biased finger 70drags across the surface of each of the cards 15 to pop out the scrapfrom the interior cutouts 20 as they pass thereunder intostacks ofcompletely separated cards within the bins 1 l. The scrap from thecutouts 20, together with the scrap 18, falls or is conveyed through tothe scrap collection receptacle below the machine.

For ease of description, the principles of the invention have been setforth in connection with but a few illustrated embodiments. It is notour intention that the illustrated embodiments or the terminologyemployed in describing them be limited inasmuch as variations in thesemay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, butrather, it is our desire to be restricted only by the scope of theapended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for separating cards from the scrap of paperboard sheetsfrom which they have been die cut except for small integral connectingtangs which includes in combination:

a base;

sheet feed means on said base;

said sheet feed means moving said sheets in a direction toward two pairsof opposing rotating members;

each of said pairs of members being rotatably mounted and including atleast one driven member and having rotating surfaces thereon invertically opposed relationship such that they vwill receive and drivethe cut paperboard sheets advanced by said feed means to propel themagainst a card and scrap separating tool as they are received therefrom;

the rotating surfaces of one of said pairs of members engaging saidcards and propelling them at one speed along one side of said tool andthe rotating surfaces of the other of said pairs of members engagingsaid scrap and propelling it at a different speed adjacent the oppositeside of said tool thereby to create a twisting and transverse force totear the tangs and separate the card and scrap from one another. I

2. An apparatus for separating cards from the scrap of paperboard sheetsfrom which they have been die cut except for small integral connectingtangs which includes in combination:

a base having one side higher than its opposite side;

spaced transverse feed shafts journalled in pairs of bearings mounted onsaid base along its opposite sides;

drive means rotating said shafts in one direction toward two pairs ofopposing members; each of said pairs of members being rotatably mountedand including at least one driven member and having rotating surfacesthereon in vertically opposed relationship such that they will receiveand drive the cut paperboard sheets advanced by said feed shafts topropel them against a card and scrap separating tool as they arereceived therefrom;

the rotating surfaces of one of said pairs of members engaging saidcards and propelling them at one speed along one side of said tool andthe rotating surfaces of the other of said pairs of members engagingsaid scrap and propelling it at a different speed adjacent the oppositeside of said tool thereby to create a twisting and transverse force totear the tangs and separate the card and scrap from one another.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which a plurality of rotating surfacesand tools are adjustable axially with respect to each other toaccommodate the different numbers, dimensions and shapes of cards andscrap of said cut paperboard sheets.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the path of travel of the cards issubstantially a straight line and the path of travel of the scrap is atan angle thereto below said straight line, and said combination includesa bin for receiving said cards in stacked relation as they leave thecard-propelling pair of rotating surfaces.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which a hold-down means is provided tomaintain the paperboard sheets in firm engagement with the feed rollers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the hold-down means is a floatingsphere.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 in which side register means guide thepaperboard sheets in a straight line.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 in which downwardly biased finger means areprovided to engage the surfaces of the cards as they move forwardlythrough the machine thereby to force any interior cutouts in the cardsto separate from the cards.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the drive means for rotating saidfeed shafts and at least one of each of said pairs of opposing membershaving rotating surfaces thereon are chains and sprockets.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 in which automatic feed means are includedto provide die cut paperboard sheets on said feed rollers at regularintervals.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said automatic feed means is atransfer conveyor having driven belts which receive the die cutpaperboard sheets directly from a die cutting machine.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 in which a guide means contacts andsupports the card portion only as it passes between the first pair ofmembers to maintain the path of travel of the card a straight line andpermit the path of travel of the scrap to be at an angle with respect tosaid straight line.

l I I! k i

1. An apparatus for separating cards from the scrap of paperboard sheetsfrom which they have been die cut except for small integral connectingtangs which includes in combination: a base; sheet feed means on saidbase; said sheet feed means moving said sheets in a direction toward twopairs of opposing rotating members; each of said pairs of members beingrotatably mounted and including at least one driven member and havingrotating surfaces thereon in vertically opposed relationship such thatthey will receive and drive the cut paperboard sheets advanced by saidfeed means to propel them against a card and scrap separating tool asthey are received therefrom; the rotating surfaces of one of said pairsof members engaging said cards and propelling them at one speed alongone side of said tool and the rotating surfaces of the other of saidpairs of members engaging said scrap and propelling it at a differentspeed adjacent the opposite side of said tool thereby to create atwisting and transverse force to tear the tangs and separate the cardand scrap from one another.
 2. An apparatus for separating cards fromthe scrap of paperboard sheets from which they have been die cut exceptfor small integral connecting tangs which includes in combination: abase having one side higher than its opposite side; spaced transversefeed shafts journalled in pairs of bearings mounted on said base alongits opposite sides; drive means rotating said shafts in one directiontoward two pairs of opposing members; each of said pairs of membersbeing rotatably mounted and incluDing at least one driven member andhaving rotating surfaces thereon in vertically opposed relationship suchthat they will receive and drive the cut paperboard sheets advanced bysaid feed shafts to propel them against a card and scrap separating toolas they are received therefrom; the rotating surfaces of one of saidpairs of members engaging said cards and propelling them at one speedalong one side of said tool and the rotating surfaces of the other ofsaid pairs of members engaging said scrap and propelling it at adifferent speed adjacent the opposite side of said tool thereby tocreate a twisting and transverse force to tear the tangs and separatethe card and scrap from one another.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 inwhich a plurality of rotating surfaces and tools are adjustable axiallywith respect to each other to accommodate the different numbers,dimensions and shapes of cards and scrap of said cut paperboard sheets.4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the path of travel of the cards issubstantially a straight line and the path of travel of the scrap is atan angle thereto below said straight line, and said combination includesa bin for receiving said cards in stacked relation as they leave thecard-propelling pair of rotating surfaces.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2in which a hold-down means is provided to maintain the paperboard sheetsin firm engagement with the feed rollers.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 inwhich the hold-down means is a floating sphere.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 2 in which side register means guide the paperboard sheets in astraight line.
 8. The apparatus of claim 2 in which downwardly biasedfinger means are provided to engage the surfaces of the cards as theymove forwardly through the machine thereby to force any interior cutoutsin the cards to separate from the cards.
 9. The apparatus of claim 2 inwhich the drive means for rotating said feed shafts and at least one ofeach of said pairs of opposing members having rotating surfaces thereonare chains and sprockets.
 10. The apparatus of claim 2 in whichautomatic feed means are included to provide die cut paperboard sheetson said feed rollers at regular intervals.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9in which said automatic feed means is a transfer conveyor having drivenbelts which receive the die cut paperboard sheets directly from a diecutting machine.
 12. The apparatus of claim 2 in which a guide meanscontacts and supports the card portion only as it passes between thefirst pair of members to maintain the path of travel of the card astraight line and permit the path of travel of the scrap to be at anangle with respect to said straight line.